Practicum B

Paper details:

Assignment 3: Social Network Analysis (20%) – 1,800 words
One important component of a person’s social life is his/her ‘social network’. A social network is defined as (i) all the people with whom an individual does activities with, and/or (ii) all the people who are important to an individual (regardless of whether each of those people has recently done an activity with the individual). Social network analysis is the study of the interface between an individual and the larger society within which he/she exists. The basic premise of social network analysis is to better understand human behaviour within a given community. One must look at the patterns of linkages that connect people, not solely at the attributes of the individual involved. The purpose of this assignment is to draw a diagram of a selected individual’s social network and to describe and analyse the pattern of relationships found in the diagram(s).

Social Network Analysis Report Requirements:
1. Introduction. Write a one paragraph introduction which presents the concept of social network analysis, and identifies what is included in your report.
2. Description of person. This should be a brief narrative description that includes information such as: age, gender, diagnosis, social and communication skills, daily activities, living arrangement, strengths, preferences, interests, etc. Ensure you indicate that a pseudonym is used to maintain confidentiality.
3. Methodology. Describe the process you used to gain informed consent (signed consent form), and collect data on the person’s social network (e.g., interviewed the person directly, interviewed parent or carer, interviewed identified friends, questionnaire, direct observation etc). Support your data collection method with references.
4. Social Network Diagram. Illustrate the person’s social network in a size A4 page diagram. The diagram should clearly indicate the number of people currently in the network, include symbols or ways to illustrate the roles people play in the person’s life, the quality of existing relationships, frequency of contact, and links (interconnection) to others in the network.
5. Results and Analysis. Describe and then analyse the person’s social network. Look for patterns, consider the density and composition of the person’s network and the types of relationships and supports available. How does the person (or those individuals interviewed) feel about his/her network? Discuss in what ways the network might be similar to or different from the network of a person of the same gender and similar age. Speculate why there might be such similarities or differences. How stable is the person’s network? Remember to link observations and analysis to the literature.
6. Recommendations for future development. Include clear recommendations/suggestions for expanding and/or enriching the person’s social network.
7. Conclusion. Provide one paragraph identifying the important points from the paper.

References: Please provide a minimum of 10 different academic references (journal articles and text books and wider literature) to support your statements. The APA referencing system is required for this topic.

PS Data collection has already been done, it’s just a matter of writing up the paper (refer to the assignment 3 document with an outline of what I’ve already written)